Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“It’s going to be okay,” I whisper.
“He’s given so much. Years of his life to keep Lucy safe. I know why she wants to repay the favor. But I can’t stand the thought of her giving herself to that sick, evil man. I can’t bear it.”
“Nico will find a way,” I whisper, even if I probably shouldn’t. I’ve got no way of knowing if that’s true. But I know one thing. I trust him.
With Dad working late, Mom, Nico, and I sit at the dining table for dinner. It’s so difficult being in Nico’s physical presence without completely losing my mind. I think he’s going through the same struggle, sitting upright, his forearms seeming to swell in his tight-fitting shirt like the fabric’s going to tear. His hair glimmers in the light. His green eyes look anywhere but at me.
“This is delicious, Sandy, thank you,” he says.
“Burger and fries, can’t go wrong,” Mom mutters. “How’s work, Nico?”
He laughs darkly. Mom laughs with the same quality. They don’t have to explain why they’re laughing when nobody’s made a joke.
“We’re all trying to force some normal dinner scene,” I mutter. “But we all know it’s impossible.”
“Yeah,” Nico says, glancing at me for the first time. His entire body stiffens when he catches my eye. He looks away quickly as if he can’t let his gaze linger too long. Warm tingles dance over my body. It’s like he’s going to turn into an animal again, just like he has every other time our lust has exploded. He won’t be able to stop himself.
“You’re seeing the lawyer tomorrow,” Mom says.
Nico sighs. “We’re going to rush through the divorce.”
“And then a wedding,” Mom mutters. After a pause, Mom says, “What happens if Dominic and Enzo die?”
I gasp. “Mom. You can’t ask Nico to do that.”
Mom takes another sip of her wine, her eyes glassy with intoxication and sadness. “It’s a fair question.”
Nico thinks for a moment. “There could be a mafia civil war. Their lieutenants might come after me for revenge. But then again, they might not. It all depends on the fallout—on who ends up in charge. It would be unpredictable.”
“What if they went missing?”
Nico smirks, but there’s no actual positive emotion in it. It’s more like he’s a predator considering his options. For a terrifying yet captivating moment, he looks like the Nightmare, like the man he must’ve been when working for the mob. “That’s a different matter,” he says. “In fact, it’s what I’ve been thinking about all day. Enzo and Dominic’s disappearance would dictate the mob’s next move, but no one can connect me to it. But it’s not as easy as that. It would involve luring both of them someplace where I could get my hands on them.”
“Lucy will help,” Mom says.
“That sorts Dominic,” Nico mutters. “But what about Enzo?”
“I can help with him,” I say.
They both turn to me sharply as if suddenly remembering that I’m here.
“What are you talking about?” Mom hisses.
“I met Enzo, remember? He’s got an enormous ego. I bet if I went to the club again, he wouldn’t be able to resist coming on to me. I could lure him away. I could lie, saying I’m meeting Lilly after the club or something. He liked Lilly. We could rent an apartment, tell him that’s where Lilly lives…”
“Lucy could give Dominic the same address under a different pretext,” Nico says, looking at me with evident pride in his stark, penetrating eyes. “But it’d mean risking you, Arria. You’d be putting yourself into the damn lion’s den. We can’t do that. We need to think of another way.”
“He’s right,” Mom says.
“I’m a grown woman, remember?” I hiss. “I can make my own decisions.”
When Nico shakes his head, I snap, “If I can make my own choices about us, Nico, I can make my own choices about helping my aunt, about helping to get rid of two sick, twisted assholes!”
He leans forward, glaring at me. “You don’t want any part of it, Arria, believe me. Sick or twisted or not, whatever they are, something like this will eat away at you.”
“Maybe I’m stronger than you think.”
His lip twitches with a smirk, that same look of pride. Then the front door opens, and Dad walks in, looking tired from work. “What’s going on here?” he says, looking around the room.
“Nothing,” Mom quickly says. “Are you hungry? I can heat up your dinner .”
Dad glares at Nico. “Remember what we discussed earlier.”
“I remember, Rocco.”
CHAPTER 20
NICO
Istand at the window, looking down at the street. It’s empty. No mob cars. No enforcers. No hitmen. It’s as if the dark, quiet street represents a version of reality we might accept if we were to sacrifice Lucia. We could give her to Dominic, a man whose record of abuse and sadism is well-known in the city. We could wake up tomorrow and I could take Arria on the date she was talking about.